Free climate change courses starting soon

A series of free climate change courses run by the University of Exeter will begin next week.

The online courses explain the science of climate change, the risks it poses and the solutions available to reduce those risks.

Professor Tim Lenton, Dr Damien Mansell, and Exeter Geography alumnus Liam Taylor have pulled together a team of leading academics from different fields – ranging from mathematicians to marine biologists from the University of Exeter and the Met Office.

The first course – called Climate Change: The Science – starts on Monday (22 January) and lasts for four weeks.

Dr Mansell said: “Joining us on the course is not just a great opportunity for learners to develop their understanding of climate change, but to connect with learners from around the world.

“In previous course runs we have had learners from over 160 countries.

“Collaborative learning is supported through sharing examples, stories and understanding from the location and perspective of the learner.

“So learners really do have an opportunity to encourage positive change and promote climate change solutions.”

The courses are open to absolutely everybody – whether you are a student considering coming to university or are simply interested in learning more about climate change – and they are delivered entirely online, covering a different topic each week.

Courses are supported by the lead educators and current students acting as facilitators to promote engagement and respond to your questions.

You will explore this science, looking back across four billion years of Earth’s history to help you learn the difference between “natural” and human-induced change; looking to the present to see how the impacts of climate change are already being felt; and finally looking to the future to see what it might hold for our planet.

On this course you will explore solutions to this global challenge, including mitigation, adaptation and geo-engineering, which can help avoid the most dangerous climate changes and increase the resilience of societies and ecosystems to climate changes that cannot be avoided.

You will look at what ecosystems services are and who benefits from them, how much the Earth is worth, and the debates, dilemmas and politics of putting a monetary value on nature. You will also learn about ecosystems services in action on a local, regional, national and international scale.

Looking at abrupt change in the natural and human world, this course will consider what “tipping points” are, early warning signals, tipping points in the climate system, policy, links with social systems and influencing behavioural change and collective action.